Related Planning Over 1,000 Live Local Apartments in Little Havana

Related Urban Development Group, the affordable housing division of the Related Group, has announced plans for a significant expansion of the Haley Sofge Towers public housing site in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood. This initiative is part of the Live Local Act, a Florida law that streamlines zoning for workforce housing projects.

The Haley Sofge Towers site spans 22.1 acres at 800 N.W. 13th Ave., just south of the Miami River and near LoanDepot Park. Currently, the property features 1,379 affordable housing units and 659 parking spaces across 10 buildings. Related Urban has been renovating the existing units under its lease agreement with Miami-Dade County, branding the development as River Parc.

Proposed New Developments

Related Urban's proposal outlines the addition of 1,038 apartments, 22,523 square feet of commercial space, and 1,217 parking spaces. These new developments would supplement the existing buildings, adhering to the Live Local Act and the county's Rapid Transit Zone rules. These regulations enable greater building heights and densities, provided that 40% of the residential units are designated as workforce housing for individuals earning up to 120% of the area median income.

The plan includes:

• Two 21-story towers along the river, offering a total of 774 apartments and nearly 8,100 square feet of commercial space. Both towers would share a pool deck.
• A 12-story building with 264 apartments, 14,454 square feet of commercial space, and a separate pool deck at the southeast corner of the property.
• Three new parking garages, with heights of eight, six, and five stories.

Project Design and Application Process

Renowned Miami-based Arquitectonica is designing the project, with local attorney Javier F. Avino representing the developer in its pre-application process. The pre-application phase allows developers to gather feedback from county officials before submitting a formal application.

A History of Workforce Housing in Miami-Dade

This proposal is part of Related Urban’s broader strategy to combine affordable and market-rate housing at public housing sites through land leases with Miami-Dade County. By renovating existing units and constructing new buildings, the developer seeks to address the demand for attainable housing while enhancing public housing sites.

Representatives from Related Urban have not yet commented publicly on the expansion plans.